Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report and also a presentation from the Managing Director, Operations Director, the Head of Sales and Marketing and Press and Marketing Manager providing an overview of Cambridge Live’s performance and achievements since taking over the responsibility for the management of the majority of the City Council’s  cultural services from April 2015. This was the starting point for an engagement process to inform the future plans for the City Events programme run on behalf of the City Council with the Committee asked to support and promote the wide ranging engagement process, including engagement with community groups and residents which would feed into the discussions for the programme arrangements 2010 to 2025. 

Public Questions / issues raised in discussion included:

     i.        Asking where the lead officers believed the spread of activities would be situated.  In response it was explained that this was partly the reason for the consultation, as new satellite settlements were growing up there was a need to look to engaging further, to find the best way of engaging and meeting the requirements of outlying communities e.g. taking the ‘Big Weekend’ to them.

    ii.        There was a request to ensure that dates for events such as the Big Weekend were publicised as early as possible. A question was raised on whether it would be possible to create a public events data base with other organisations, such as the University who also undertook public events, to try to minimise clashes. In reply, while there was no shared data base, the forthcoming planned events were posted early and were available on the City Events part of their website. As an example details of the February programme were due to be announced in the next two weeks, as well as details regarding forthcoming folk events. 

   iii.        Whether they would organise events in partnership with Churches in Cambridge?  In response it was indicated that events were undertaken with different religious communities, but the catalyst was to initially engage with City Council.  What was avoided was organising events in aid of charities, as being a charity themselves, this would not be looked on favourably by the Charities Commission.

  iv.        Taking up the issue of promoting different national communities folk traditions, one Member suggested that there should be an effort to embrace and promote those from the Ukraine and Baltic states for which there might be a preference locally, compared to Russian themed events. In reply this suggestion was considered a useful prompt to look when considering future dance events and also taking into account current views of the world political stage.

The Chair and other Members thanked the officers for their presentation and for the wonderful work they were undertaking.

The report was noted.